The Game Awards 2023: How orchestra chief makes the famous medley
The source of the picture is from Getty Images.
The Game Awards' Game of the Year medley is being coordinated by Lorne Balfe.
Awards shows are often remembered for their fancy red carpets, moving acceptance speeches, and surprising victories, but there's one event where the orchestra tends to stand out above all else.
The Game Awards is an event that happens at a later time of the year and recognizes and celebrates the best video games of the year.
Music and sound are crucial factors in every gaming experience, thus it is reasonable that they are significantly highlighted during the "Gaming Oscars".
Taking charge of the task is Lorne Balfe, who plays the role of the musical director and conductor.
He received training from the renowned film composer, Hans Zimmer, and has contributed to the production of hit movies such as Top Gun: Maverick and Mission: Impossible.
However, it was the music he created for popular video games such as Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed that grabbed the attention of Game Awards' organizer Geoff Keighley.
Lorne mentioned that he generally prefers to spend most of his time in the studio where he feels comfortable, but he still agreed to participate in the show.
The highlight of the evening is a blend of all the title songs featuring in the six contenders for the Game of the Year award.
The picture attribution is courtesy of Getty Images.
The compilation of the Game of the Year during the yearly awards ceremony is considered a major event.
This year, Lorne needs to combine Alan Wake 2, Resident Evil 4 Remake, Baldur's Gate 3, Spider-Man 2, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Super Mario Wonder into a cohesive whole.
There are a total of 6 popular games mentioned in this section. These include two scary games, two amazing role-playing games, a movie about a superhero, and a famous character who is a plumber.
Does it present a difficulty when the nominees are announced only a couple of weeks prior to the event?
Lorne informed BBC Newsbeat that the task is quite challenging.
You always strive to ensure that the content flows smoothly and truly captures the essence of the year, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
"I attempt to envision what type of content would interest me as a viewer and what manner of presentation would appeal to me."
The image was found on Getty Images website.
The artist Pedro Eustache, famous for his impressive flute skills and nicknamed "Flute Guy" by internet users, is making a comeback this year. He was recently spotted at the Coachella music festival.
Clearly, Lorne doesn't have much say in the content he has to handle, but he admits that he monitors what game reviewers are favoring.
He mentions that he is constantly aware of what people find appealing.
"You begin to feel happy and suddenly, there's a surprising event that throws you off guard. You think to yourself, 'I had no idea this was going to happen'," he explains.
"Subsequently, upon receiving it, you are simply puzzled and confused."
The majority of enthusiasts would concur that Lorne can successfully achieve it, and the combination of songs is frequently one of the most memorable parts of the evening.
"How 2023 Game Awards Differ?"
Geoff Keighley, who has been in charge of The Game Awards for nine years, defines it as a "festivity" that commends the world of gaming.
With such a plethora of highly praised titles this year, we can definitely find numerous reasons to feel joyful.
However, the gaming industry has also experienced a significant amount of job cuts, and individuals have raised concerns as to whether the event will acknowledge this matter.
Similar to various award shows, there is also discussion about whether the event will pay tribute to global occurrences such as the Israel and Gaza conflict.
The Game Awards and Summer Game Fest have faced criticism for their excessive focus on commerce and a lack of female representation on stage.
BBC Newsbeat sent inquiries regarding these and additional matters to the event coordinators - however, not all of them were responded to.
Geoff's colleague and co-producer, Kimmie Kim, shared with Newsbeat that their main objective was and still is to stick to their beliefs regarding what constitutes as quality content for their audience and the show's participants.
Additionally, with the gaming sector increasingly embracing diversity, our aim is to enhance our hospitality towards individuals who are new to this field.
Geoff has stated that they aim to enhance and polish their approach each year.
The previous year, a woodwind solo by musician Pedro Eustache unexpectedly became popular, causing him to gain fame and be referred to as "Flute Guy."
Lorne mentions that his acquaintance has been agoing for roughly 15 years.
"I now refer to him as the Flute Guy, even when communicating with him via email."
However, there's no doubt that he will return. Furthermore, he deserves to have another solo performance.
He is deeply passionate about music and it defines his existence. His true self is portrayed through his performances, as his love for music radiates effortlessly. It was a magnificent sight to witness the growing number of individuals who developed a similar admiration for him last year.
According to Lorne, featuring the orchestra at the awards has contributed to increasing interest in orchestral music, and some individuals have been inspired to start playing an instrument of their own.
He expresses that game music serves as evidence to prove that the classical world is not outdated and traditional.
The orchestra is drawing in a diverse set of individuals, regardless of their age. This movement is allowing for fresh and younger listeners to participate in this unique auditory encounter.
In my opinion, it is crucial to attract the younger generation to live music. If we fail to do so, the idea of live music might disappear eventually. Thus, it is imperative that we continue to generate interest among the audience so that they remain enthusiastic about attending live performances and listening to music.
The Game Awards is happening in Los Angeles starting at 12:30 AM GMT on Friday.
Tune in to the live broadcast of Newsbeat on weekdays at 12:45 and 17:45 or catch up on previous episodes right here.
